We have seen some moves towards EU-wide energy governance coordination, but what about policy convergence? While some authors argue that energy policy convergence in the specific area of renewable energy (regulated by the Climate and Energy Package targets) is visible, we investigate a case of surprisingly stark non-convergence between two countries in: Germany and Poland. This article analyses the different channels and mechanisms of policy diffusion and tries to explain why, despite the geographic proximity and compatibility of energy systems, Germany and Poland have so far been very different in their renewable energy policy choices. We focus on four mechanisms: learning, emulation, competition and coercion, and show why Polish government is largely ignoring the developments taking place in the neighboring country and following its established pattern of development in the power sector. Limits and potentials of each mechanism are analyzed, and policy implications for both neighboring countries provided.
